No question of my resignation, haven't lost election: Mamata Banerjee defiant

Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday categorically ruled out stepping down after her party’s electoral setback, declaring, “There is no question of my resignation. I will not resign.”

Insisting that “we did not lose the election”, Banerjee claimed the verdict was not a genuine public mandate but the result of a “conspiracy”.

She called it a “moral victory” and signalled a shift towards street mobilisation. “I will not resign. I did not lose. This is an attempt to defeat us. Officially, through the Election Commission, they may defeat us, but morally we have won.”

“I was on the streets, I will be on the streets. I will not tolerate BJP’s atrocities anymore,” she added.

‘WHY SHOULD I GO TO RAJ BHAVAN?’

In a sharp response to a question on whether she would visit Raj Bhavan, Banerjee made it clear she sees no reason to do so.

“Why? For what purpose? We didn’t lose that we will go. If I had lost, then I would have submitted my resignation. But now the question doesn’t arise,” she said.

Rejecting any suggestion of pressure tactics, she added, “If someone thinks that forceful capture will make me resign, no, not that.”

She said the next course of action would be decided collectively. “My party will decide this. I am not alone. My party is with me. We will decide the next strategy together,” she said.

‘FIGHT WAS NOT WITH BJP BUT WITH EC’

Banerjee alleged large-scale irregularities in the counting process, claiming the mandate in nearly 100 seats was “looted” and that counting was deliberately slowed down to demoralise her party. She trained her sharpest attack on the Election Commission, accusing it of acting in a partisan manner.

“We have not lost. BJP planned it using the EC. Our fight was not with the BJP but with the Election Commission. BJP planned it using the Election Commission,” she said.

Calling the outcome a “brutal murder of democracy”, she said, "A black chapter in history has been created.”

“I would not have complained had they won a fair election. But we did not lose. They stole it,” she added.

She alleged irregularities in voter lists, saying, “They deleted 90 lakh names. When we went to court, 32 lakh were restored. Even after that, another seven lakh names were included. Nobody knows how.”

“I have never seen this kind of election in my life. I have not seen such atrocities even since 2004. It is terrible,” she said.

She also trained her attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of undermining democratic rights.

FACT-FINDING PANEL ON POST-POLL VIOLENCE

The TMC chief announced the formation of a 10-member fact-finding committee to visit areas affected by post-poll violence and assess the ground situation.

She, however, dismissed allegations of post-poll violence in 2021 as baseless.

CLAIMS OF VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION

The outgoing Chief Minister alleged widespread violence and intimidation during both counting and polling, claiming TMC workers were assaulted and prevented from carrying out their duties.

“After the first round, the media began saying the BJP was heading for these many seats. Soon after, BJP workers entered the booths and started attacking our people,” she said.

Accusing the BJP of orchestrating targeted violence, Banerjee said, “The BJP, along with goons, unleashed atrocities. The police remained completely inactive. They have been torturing our workers and have even attacked SC and ST families.”

She further alleged that women were threatened. “They told them, ‘We will rape you’,” she claimed.

Questioning the conduct of central forces deployed during the election, she asked, “Is this jawan bahini or goon bahini? (Is this a force of soldiers or a gang of goons?) I have never seen central forces behave in this manner.”

‘THEY ASSAULTED ME’

Banerjee also alleged that she was physically assaulted during the counting process.

“They did not allow me to move freely. They kicked me in my belly and backside. They threw me out from the counting centre,” she said.

“As a woman, I feel how they misbehaved with me,” she added, claiming that CRPF personnel did not allow her party agents to enter despite requests.

“To whom will we complain? They are all purchased,” she said.

MEDIA UNDER FIRE

Banerjee also blamed sections of the media for shaping the narrative early in the counting process.

“After the first round, the media started saying the BJP is getting these seats. After that campaign, the BJP entered the booths and started beating our people,” she said.

‘WE WILL BOUNCE BACK’

Despite the defeat, Banerjee struck a defiant tone and vowed to continue the fight.

“We fought like a tiger and we shall continue to fight. We will bounce back and fight this battle,” she said.

“I don’t care about chairs, I only care about people,” she added.

INDIA ALLIANCE BACKING

Banerjee said leaders from across the INDIA alliance had extended support following the results.

“Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray, Hemant Soren, Tejashwi Yadav rang me up. All of them said the INDIA alliance is with me,” she said.

“Akhilesh Yadav is coming tomorrow. One by one, others will come,” she added.

She said her focus would now be on strengthening the alliance.
“I will strengthen the INDIA team just like one person. I don’t have a chair now, so I am a commoner. I am a free bird now,” she said.

FACT-FINDING PANEL, NEXT STEPS

The TMC has set up a fact-finding committee to look into alleged post-poll violence.

“We have made a 10-member fact-finding committee. They will visit places where our offices have been captured and where violence has taken place,” she said, adding that even Abhishek Banerjee’s office had been vandalised.

On the way forward, Banerjee said, “Strategy will be discussed within our party members and within the united alliance.”

‘HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF’

Issuing a warning to the BJP, Banerjee said, “When you are not in power at the Centre, you may have to face the same. History will repeat itself.”

“What do you want? Only one-party rule? No opposition?” she asked.

“If this continues, the image will burst. You have forgotten the courtesy of democracy,” she added.

‘WE FOUGHT INCH BY INCH’

Banerjee thanked voters even as she maintained that many were prevented from casting their ballots.

“I would like to thank Maa, Mati, Manush. Those who gave us votes, and those who could not vote because of them, we are sorry,” she said.

“We fought inch by inch. We fought against the Election Commission, not against BJP,” she added.